


back to the old house

by INTPSlytherin_reylove97



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, August/September Prompt, Bar Fight, Dialogue prompts, Doing the thing I do where I reel you in with the humor but hit you hard with the poignant feels, F/M, Friends to Lovers, I CANT HELP BUT BE THIS WAY, Maybe Mild Smut...Haven't Decided Yet, Mentions of Charatcer Death, Mentions of Frozen, Mentions of Heart Attack, Mentions of The Smiths, Rey and Ben are in Night Jail, Rey and Ben both have secrets they really need to share, Something is in the oven, Well Hopefully They Get Their Acts Together, flashback time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-11
Updated: 2018-10-24
Packaged: 2019-06-25 17:49:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15645840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/INTPSlytherin_reylove97/pseuds/INTPSlytherin_reylove97
Summary: A simple night out causes more chaos than anticipated for a pair of friends who don’t know how to say ‘I love you.’





	1. i would rather not go

**Author's Note:**

> This is for an August/September Prompt, and I have no chill and used all the dialogue prompts provided. There are about ten in this chapter; they will be listed in the notes at the bottom.
> 
> Typos will be fixed through out the week.
> 
> Enjoy!

**_Saturday, 2:52AM_ **

 

“Do you have any idea what I want to do to you right now?” Rey gritted from the other side of the cell.

 

Flinching at her biting tone, Ben slumped on the wall. Feeling slickness, he leaned off the surface instantly. A low groan edged out pathetically from the back of his throat. Unfortunately, he found the slate grey wall covered in clear sticky residue.

 

So much for his one good grey button down.

 

Holding cells had officially became the grossest place on Earth for Ben in the last half hour. Mildew and questionable stains lingered by the walls, and the toilet in the corner smelled of week old urine. To the naked eye, it was undecipherable if the grey on the cement floor was truly dark or from built up grime. 

 

Turning to Rey, he began to offer an apology, “I’m sor—”

 

“Don’t,” she exhaled, her body quaking for a moment from her coursing anger, “Don’t fucking finish that sentence,” she ordered, her back to him on the slim cot the county jail called a bed. Her beige blouse remained soaked from the spilled cranberry cocktail, Ben noticing the tinges of red and pink on her sleeves and waist. “We wouldn’t be in this mess if it wasn’t for you.”

 

Running his hands through his hair, Ben crouched down, opting not to completely sit on the floor. He focused on a piece of gum stuck to the floor, silently attempting to calm his nerves.  

 

This was temporary— _temporary_. Either Finn or Poe will show up, bail them out and all is well. Or the charges will get dropped. He prayed to his uncle’s God, that the charges were dropped. Two young adults, with budding careers did not need to have a criminal record.

 

Rey was the braver soul of the two, flopping on the cot once the police officer led them into the unsavory room. He tried to sit on the edge of the bed, only for her to kick his thigh every time he so much moved within range.

 

Considering the nights earlier events, Rey had every right to be upset with him

 

Yes, it was his idea to go out that night. To leave their cozy apartment, and try something _new_. Do something spontaneous before he broke the news to her and threw a wretch in their plans.

“Are you kidding me? It’s three in the morning,” A voice called from down the hall, the door to the rest of the building cracked open. “We don’t deal with criminals until after nine,” He cried out jokingly, faint peals of laughter bouncing off the entrance corridor.

 

Both Rey and Ben sat at attention, rushing to the bars of the cell. Maybe Finn and Poe came through—maybe they’d be able to actually get home and take a shower and sleep and—

 

A man of average build and finely trimmed, thin facial hair came into their sight; no older than thirty-five, but his eyes and quirk of his lips spoke volumes. He’d seen a bit of action, more than someone his age should. His youthful glow contradicted him, yet he seemed highly respected by the way their current babysitter-officer sat straight and nodded professionally at the new comer.

 

Waving him off, the man and the other officer on duty fist bumped before exiting with a chuckle and pat on the shoulder.

 

He turned to them, his lighthearted expression hardening instantly.

 

Dejectedly, Ben and Rey glanced at each other; they were going to be stuck in the dank cell until mid-morning.

“What brings you two here? Hmm?” he asked, arms crossing over his chest. His lightly accented voice surprised Ben, not initially hearing the dialect from the distance. Compared to their previous officer, the man wasn’t wearing a pristine uniform. Instead a green cargo jacket and jeans, his badge hung around his neck, in clear view.

 

“Bar fight.” Ben muttered simply.

 

“More like _bad_ fight, you didn’t even get a swing in.” Rey contradicted beside him, her forehead resting against the cool metal bars. Her eyes drifted up to the officer. “Let me guess, we can be charged for more than that?”

 

“Vandalism, assault, disruption of peace—”

 

“Seriously?” Rey gaped in disbelief, “It’s a fuckin—”

 

“Rey,” Ben sighed. Leave it to Rey to curse before a police officer.

 

“A fucking _pub_. It’s the Cantina.” Rey insisted, not entirely happy about the situation. She and Ben had been the Cantina numerous times, usually to knock back some drinks then stumble home to watch the Greatest British Bake-Off on Netflix until one of them fell asleep—but they could be considered regulars.

 

“Miss, I don’t decided these matter,” the officer reminded her. Rey glanced away, her hands tightening around the bars. On the other side, the man eyed the two curiously a friendly grin pulling on to his lips. “Very rarely do we get a bar fight in Endor—we are after all ranked the second safest city in the country.”

 

Ben squinted, recalling the ridiculous brochures from when he first applied to college “I thought we were the safest?”

 

“We lost the title last year,” he answered shrugging as though saying ‘what can you do?’, “But it makes me curious how you two got into a bar fight—”

 

“With each other,” Rey interjected, “He and I got into a bar fight with each other,” she stated breezily, “I mean other people were there and got a bit caught in the middle—”

 

“We wouldn’t have had a ‘ _bar_ _fight’_ ,” Ben quoted mockingly to her, “if you’d listened to what I had to say.”

 

“You’re a liar,” Rey focused in on Ben, her hazel gaze sharp and pure, “I _did_ listen and I simply could not comprehend the garbage-shit ideas you were spewing.”

 

“Whoa, okay,” the officer called out, his hands out to signal both Rey and Ben to calm down. “Let’s take a breather—why don’t you tell me what happened? From the beginning?”

 

* * *

 

 

**_Friday, 5:15PM_ **

“How can you watch that garbage?” Ben muttered from beside Rey on the sofa, his nose buried in a book rather than the apocalyptic television series she had been bingeing over winter break. “The premise is the surviving in an un-survivable apocalypse. No matter what, everyone is going to die in the end.”

 

Rey harrumphed, stretching her arms up and to the side. Bingeing for eight hours straight was exhausting for the two, passing out of the couch around eight the previous night from finishing off the remaining episodes of _Stranger Things_.

 

They may have been wearing the same sweatpants and t-shirts for a couple of days because, _hey_ , it was winter break. Neither were planning on leaving the apartment unless for groceries or going to Ben’s parents’ house for Christmas. Which was still another few reasonable days away.

 

“Well not all of us can watch Disney movie all the time and be satisfied,” she stated mockingly, fluffing her wool grey blanket on her lap.

 

Earlier, Ben had left Rey to her own devices once he realized she went back to bingeing the somber zombie show. Bored, he decided to re-watch _Frozen_ in his bedroom, since the modern classic could technically be classified as a holiday movie…and maybe he liked it. Adored it….and saw it in the movie theaters four times during its theatrical release and dragged Rey along to each and every one because it appeared odd for a man in his mid-twenties to be sitting alone watching a Disney movie.

 

He once bought fanart, and maybe drabbled in the fanfiction realms— he honestly thought there was going to be more to Han and Elsa dynamic, _okay_?

 

“I don’t even understand that obsession—I mean sure it’s, _good_ ,” Rey assured him, lowering television’s volume. Her head lulled to him, “But is it really _that_ good, Ben?”

 

“It is a monument for the ages,” he stressed, flipping the next page of his book roughly. Dropping the novel on his lap, he turned to Rey, “That’s fine, I am more than happy to explain why Frozen is my favorite film,” he said, mentally preparing his argument.

 

“Nope, I’m good,” she held her hands up in surrender, “I do not need a twelve hour powerpoint of the literary and psychological devices used in the film. I heard you enough times.”

 

True—he did go off on long rants about the representation of depression through media, one of his degrees in psychology of all things.

 

Rey laughed in his face when he declared the major, then bought him his favorite ice cream as a congratulatory and pity meal. Both knew the major had been added due to his own intrigue, but mostly from his mother’s pestering to have something as a back up to his English Major.

 

“It’s not psychological ‘devices’—it representation of psychological and mental disorders—” Ben shook his head, shoving Rey’s feet off his lap. “I don’t understand how you don’t get that after watching it a few times,” he shrugged, getting off the sofa.

 

Wincing, he stretched his arms over his head, a ragged sigh escaping him.

 

“I’m sorry, _Professor_ ,” Rey rolled her eyes, throwing his temporary title at him. He received an assistant professor position in the English department at the local university, “I’d hate to be punished for my mistake,” she quipped dramatically, wiggling her eyebrows up and down.

 

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, mirthfully watching him squirm. A smirk danced on her lips, she pausing the zombie show. “What do you do when your student make remarks like that? Do you have girls flirting with you for a better grade?” she cackled a bit as Ben’s ears burned bright red. They both knew the answer; Ben was shit when it came to women—Rey an unfortunate witness to several mishaps over the years.

 

“God, no.” Ben gagged, “everyone is rightfully terrified of me.”

 

“I believe it,” she responded, her gaze dropping down to her lap. She squinted back at him with amusement, “Yet little do they know…Big Bad Professor Solo’s favorite movie is _Frozen_.”

 

Ben rolled his eyes, listening to her good natured guff’s of nonsensical mirth. Shaking his head, he shuffled over to the kitchenette for the listings of take-out food. “What do you want to eat? Our options are Vietnamese or….yeah, just Vietnamese because we have left overs from everything else in out rotation."

 

Neither Rey or Ben were particularly great cooks, mostly living off of Poe’s cooking skills back when all four of them lived together a few months previous. Which was a tight squeeze but great—Poe and Finn had their own room together, while Rey and Ben somehow made the master bedroom work. It was the largest out of the two rooms with its own restroom, and since Finn had been the one to make Rey the odd man out in the shifting living situation, the couple decided to be _nice_ —Ben rolled his eyes at the sentiment—and give the two friends the better room. Initially, room dividers were put to use—Ben had his side, and Rey had hers. Her bed was tucked away by the window while Ben’s was on the other side of the room, closer to walk in closet. It work…for a bit. But once Ben knocked them over by accident one too many times, Rey sold them on eBay. Now she wasn’t too sure which books were his or hers, and they had one communal laundry hamper because it was honestly stupid to have two when they did laundry at the same time every week.

 

Of course, Poe just had to propose to Finn and their friends decided to be _real adults_ (Finn’s words not theirs) and move out into their own apartment across town.

 

* * *

 

**_Saturday, 3:12AM_ **

“Do you two still share the same room?” The officer interrupted Rey, gazing at the two roommates curiously.

 

“Well…yeah,” Ben shrugged, he and Rey glancing at each other. She seemed bored by the question, chewing on her bottom lip frustratedly. “Why wouldn’t we?”

 

“Because you have a free room in your apartment now,” the man stated obviously, his hands dropping to rest on his hips. “Why wouldn’t _you_?”

 

Rey huffed, leaning back from the cell bars, “Do you know how long it took to get used to living in the same square foot as him? He’s massive and doesn’t know how to act accordingly to his build.”

 

Her blunt statement dug into his fragile ego—it wasn’t his fault he inherited his father’s height.

 

“Hey,” Ben hissed, rubbing the back of his neck, “It’s not like you’re a dream to live with either,” he muttered, shifting from foot to foot.

 

Rey scowled darkly at him; she’d appear more menacing if it weren’t for her smudged eyeliner and lipstick. Now, she looked like a drowned raccoon, baring her teeth in defense.

 

The officer cleared his throat, “Can we skip all this exposition?” Picking at invisible lint on his chest, the man’s light brown eyes considered them unobjectively. “I honestly did not need to know Frozen is his favorite film.”

 

“We’re trying to paint the entire picture here,” Ben stated with a twinge of annoyance. He and Rey already went through questioning—their story was plain and clear. A bar fight. Rey was the one who decided to indulge the guy and start blurting their life story. Ben was merely helping her keep her facts straight along the way.

 

“Well, paint it faster—when did you guys decided to go out for the night?”

 

Whipping her head around to him, Rey stared at Ben awaitingly, “Why don’t you take it away Benjamin Organa-Solo?”

 

He gritted his teeth—his full name grated on his nerves.

 

Too often his names were recognized, often by his mother’s last name. His mother, originally birthed in the United States, had been adopted by the royal Organa family; nobles for a small European country that no longer existed. Country lines dissolved in the eighties, Alderaan absorbed into either France or Spain. Ben wasn’t too sure on the complete schematics and politics of its dissolution, his mother rarely discussing the topic. The last Organa became a target and topic of discussion whenever announced or mentioned—after all his mother was a former princess and a political figure, a senator for a few terms.

 

“You are Ben Solo?” The officer spoke into the heated silence, eyeing Ben’s frame and face carefully, “No way. I _refuse_ ,” he chuckled with a grin, “There is no way you’re related to _the_ Han Solo.”

 

Rarely, was Ben recognized for his father’s devious acts.

 

Only one person spouted off facts about the legendary Han Solo—pilot, scoundrel, and minor felon.

 

This person had been Rey….and now this _random_ _officer_ who decided to take some pity on them and start a conversation, rather than sitting in solemn silence.

 

A bark of laughter escaped Rey, she leaning into the bars for support. Elbows braced on the horizontal bar, she pointed through the confinement to the man, “You, sir—I like you. I like you exceptionally so.”

 

The officer shrugged, “Well, I’m flattered,” he held out his hand to Rey, “Detective Andor by the way.” They awkwardly shook hand through the bars, “Nice to make your acquaintance…”

 

“Rey Niima,” she finished with a closed mouth smile, “Also a fellow Han Solo enthusiast—”

 

“I’d rather not be subjected to a worship fest over my father, thanks,” Ben remark disdainfully, gripping the bars tighter. While a few months had passed since Han’s untimely death, Ben grew restless at the mention of his name.

 

Detective Andor’s prior amusement dimmed; Ben’s eyes dropped to the floor.

 

_Way to kill the mood…._

 

Beside him, Rey scooted a bit closer, Ben feeling the heat radiating off her body. Awkwardly she cleared her throat, “Ah, my friend here has—shit, um, _had_ a strained relationship with uh, Han….” She licked her lips, pausing before continuing, “Its best we get back to what happened—"

* * *

 

**_Friday, 5:37PM_ **

“Shit, they’re already closed for the holidays,” Ben called out to Rey in the living room.

 

“What the hell are we supposed to do?” She asked, throwing off her blanket from her lap. “I can’t cook, and god knows you can’t.”

 

A few seconds later she entered the kitchen, dressed in only an oversized sweater she stole from one of the guys—she honestly could not remember which after living in the same apartment with the three for nearly four years. The fabric barely brushed mid-thigh, exposing the long expanse of her legs, up until her striped fuzzy socks covered her ankles and feet.

 

Ben’s eyes widen, shifting closer to the kitchen counter, hoping Rey didn’t see his growing _problem_.

 

Damnit; she did it _again_. Over the last few weeks, Rey became a little… _too_ comfortable around him. Less clothing, or randomly borrowing his clothes. Walking in on him while he used the bathroom, letting _him_ walk in on her while she used the bathroom. He became frustrated to the point where he moved his toiletries to the hall bathroom to avoid another potential topless situation. He need a long cold shower after that mishap.

 

It never use to be this _bad_.

 

Yes, once they moved into the same space, they became exceedingly close. Some believed freaky close considering…considering well, they weren’t currently sleeping together.

 

At all, contrary to popular belief.

 

Ben firmly believed Rey simply viewed him in a familial light. They became unexpected friends when she began to work in the alumni office with him during his senior and her freshman year. Rey had been hired to be his replacement once he graduated from undergrad, his job to train her. Tedious office work, such sending mailings and fielding phone calls, created a bond between the two and a comradery between her and Poe, Ben’s roommate. The two bonded over their friendship with Ben and piloting, becoming fast friends. Less than a year later she moved into the apartment as their third roommate…. And stayed their roommate for four years. Of course, his mother eventually found out during her many visits and instantly loved Rey, her and Han inviting her over as an honorary Solo-Skywalker for many family functions.

 

And nothing more came from their friendship. Ben was contented with this, his own desires for more hampered down over the years. Only recently after well… _everything_ , did things slight shift from their usually routine.

 

Boundaries were dissolving at an alarming speed, and it was doing nothing to help Ben’s sanity.

 

“Wait, where did your pants go?” he asked her, tucking the array of take-out menus close to his chest.

 

Confused, Rey glanced down at her legs, her mouth formed an ‘O’, “I forgot I kicked off my sweatpants after I spilled coffee on them,” she winced, pulling down at the hem of the sweater, “Sorry.” She shuffled over to a barstool, sitting down opposite Ben, covered by the counter from the waist up.

 

He smiled tightly, dropping a few of the menus down. He folded the letter he hid in the menus in his back pocket. Rey didn’t need to see that.

 

“These are the options,” he waved to the menus.

 

Her nose scrunched together, not finding anything particularly appetizing. “Eh, maybe I’ll just eat the ice cream in the fridge…” she muttered, pursing her lips as she scanned the Chinese menu, “I think if I eat another box of orange chicken I might be sick.” Her eyes roved over the menus once more, her face momentarily paling a sickly color. “In fact eating of this might make me sick.”

 

Picking up the discarded menus, Ben threw Rey a pity glance,“We threw out the ice cream—remember the power shut down and—”

She groaned, dropping her head into her folded arms. Her chestnut hair splayed out. Across from her, Ben resisted the urge to brush her wavy locks back into to place.

 

He licked his lips, thinking of the letter burning a hole in his pocket. Maybe he could talk to her about it…

 

“How about we go out?” he suggested lightly, his fingers drumming against the counter top. “We haven’t gone to Cantina or even Maz’s in forever; might be nice to get out.”

 

“Huh?” she peeked up through her curtain of hair. Huffing, she propped her chin in her palm. “I’ve only got twenty bucks.”

 

She stuck her tongue out pathetically, disappointed in her lack of funds. This year, she went a little overboard with the Christmas decorating, spending more than she intended on a tree, ornaments, fake snow, and tinsel.

 

Ben swore he was still finding lingering tinsel around the apartment days after helping her decorate.

 

“I’ll cover it,” he answered.

 

“No, no, no,” Rey waved off, sitting up pin straight. “We have our rule; we split every time! I am not letting you revert back to—”

 

“Think of it as an early Christmas present!” Ben insisted, not wanting to wound Rey’s pride any further than he unintentionally did. She was proud of her independence, after all she did get where she was all on her own. It wasn’t until recent years did she allow other’s to lend a helping hand.

 

“But you already have a Christmas present for me!” Rey hopped off the stool, crossing her arms over her chest. “I will not—”

 

“I will let you tip then!” He compromised, Rey halting her argument, knowing this was the best she was going to get with him.

 

“Fine,” she mumbled, “But I’m not shaving my legs for this.” Rey warned, pointing a finger at him as she walked out of the kitchen

 

“I wouldn’t expect you to,” he assured her, watching as she disappeared towards the hall to their bedroom.

 

A held breath left his lungs once she was gone, Ben bracing himself against the counter for support. He need to get over—quickly, before he made it any worse.

 

A night out would do them some good…see downtown a bit more. Maybe take a walk, maybe talk…break the news gently.

.

.

.

.

.

Little did he know, Rey was thinking the same thing.

Breaking the news gently…


	2. and you never knew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A pair of friends believe the other is hiding something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Typos will be fixed throughout the week!
> 
> Enjoy!

**_Saturday 3:23AM_ **

 

“When did you two leave the apartment?” Detective Andor asked, leaning back into the seat he commandeered from the further wall. He pulled up the chair half way through their second go around of telling the story, propping a foot on his knee casually.

 

Rey squinted up, mentally doing the math, “Not until…around eight?”

 

Ben nodded in agreement, begrudgingly sitting on the floor beside her. Sure, it was gross—neither knowing who had been there previous or where they’d been— but shouting across the cell to talk to Detective Andor seemed less desirable. Especially when they were the only three in the room.

 

“It took you guys two hours to get ready to go out?”

 

“Well,” Ben titled his head side to side, “Not exactly…”

 

* * *

 

**_Friday, 6:43PM_ **

 

“…I swear, I am going to kill the cat!”

 

Picking up the fat orange tabby, Ben gently allowed the cat to jump from his arms. Orange fur stuck to his black shirt, along with a mound of hair resting on the pillow where the monstrosity had been sleeping. BB wasn't even _their_ cat.

 

When Poe and Ben decided to get an apartment off campus after their first semester of college, his roommate decided to save a cat from slaughter the first week of living together. And thus, BB was technically Poe’s cat, Ben the furthest from a cat person. He grew up with dogs, many, many dogs…the idea of a cat just _lying_ there, all the time, doing absolutely nothing seemed to grate on him.

 

However, Rey _loved_ the pudge ball.

 

“Don’t fucking say that! BB loves you.” Rey insisted, standing between her cat and Ben in defense. “He cuddles with you when you are sick—”

 

“Because I am the only thing producing heat in this apartment,” he grumbled, shaking out his pillow sham.

 

The hair stuck to the grey pillow no matter how much he shook it, laundry to be the only savior now. Heatedly, Ben tossed the pillow back on his bed. He rounded back to Rey.

 

“It’s me or the cat, you decide,” Ben declared, crossing his arms over his chest.

 

“Are we seriously going to do this now—”

 

* * *

 

 

**_Saturday, 3:35AM_ **

“Wait, wait,” Detective Andor held his palm up, silencing the bickering duo. “You spent how long arguing over the cat?”

 

“Roughly an hour,” Rey rolled her eyes, “But other things came up too. It wasn’t just about BB.”

 

Ben nodded lightly in agreement, “Such as the laundry—we hadn’t done it in about a week and a half—”

 

“And then Christmas came up again; we usually go his to parents but since…well everything, plans have slightly altered,” Rey answered briskly, Ben once again tensing at the mention of Han. The duo shifted a little away from each other, not exactly bouncing into easy storytelling comradery as they were moments ago.

 

“So you want to go to visit your family this Christmas?” Detective Andor assumed, himself knowing the occasional push and pull when it came to deciding where to spend the holidays. His wife finally convinced her parents to let them visit for New Years rather than Christmas, in order to spend the holiday with his brothers and sisters.

 

“No,” Rey stated simply. Her face remained passive, not giving away any pretenses.

 

From beside her, Ben’s hand rose to rest on her shoulder. Unexpectedly, she let him. His thumb rubbed a gentle circle into the fabric of her blouse; she didn’t exactly _relax_ under his touch, but she appeared less troubled.

 

Ben glanced at Detective Andor, “We can skip ahead—”

 

* * *

 

 

**_Friday, 7:27PM_ **

 

“Why are you so hairy?”

 

Ben flinched at the slight echo in Rey’s voice, not noticing when she entered the bathroom.

 

By the linen closet, Rey rummaged through the middle drawer. Casually she idled, her hair still wet from her shower, yet her frantic arms and hygiene products slamming against the wood told him otherwise.

 

Eyes darting across the mirror to her, Ben observed Rey’s reflection. She dressed nice, but not too nice—nice enough for two friends to go out for the night and not specifically nice enough for a date. True to her word, she did not shave her legs, black jeans covering her from the torso down. Vibrant pink and blue stripped socks adorned her feet; she bought them on a whim, seeing them on display in the dollar section in Target. Her button-up beige blouse billowed around her middle before tucking loosely into her trousers. An oversized green cardigan—the one that really made her eyes pop, bringing the green out in her hazel—engulfed the rest of her frame, the sleeves cuffed up to mid-forearm. While mostly bare face, painstakingly drawn on eyeliner was the only mark of make-up on her face along with a little bit of rosy shade of lipstick.

 

She looked beautiful. She always looked beautiful…but there was something _different_. He’d been noticing recently there’d been a certain glow about her.

 

Her eyes met his.

 

Ben hastily looked away.

 

“It’s called growing facial hair,”  he muttered, his attention on rinsing his razor blade under the faucet.

Rey tsked, her back turned to him, “I know all about facial hair,” she spared him a soft glance, lips parted, “I would have thought you’d go clean shaven.”

 

For most of his young adult life, Ben wore the clean shaven look. Not for any particular reason per say, but merely a habit formed by routine. However, he and the guys participated in ‘No Shave November.’ At first it’d been odd, seeing the scruff; more scratching and prickling. Eventually the mild annoyances faded, his facial hair growing decently…and Ben found he liked himself a bit more with the change of appearance.

 

As cliched as it was, Ben felt older with the mustache and goatee. Plagued with a baby face, Ben discovered he looked closer to his age…

 

Meanwhile, Rey happened to not be the biggest fan. Her nose wrinkled a bit, returning to her task.

 

“I kind of liked the hair,” he informed her, leaning closer to the mirror. Tilting his head to the left, he tried to trim away stay hairs inching closer to his neck. Carefully, he worked with the blade, his hands still—

 

A loud slam of the drawer startled him.

 

Hand twitching, the blade nicked under his chin. Water and red blood mixed trailing down his neck, Ben resisting a low growl.

 

“Goddamnit.”

 

He dropped the razor by the sink, picking up a tissue. He caught the drips, and pressed into the thin cut, hissing at the sting.

 

Rey swallowed, shoving a couple of her belongings into the crook of her elbow.

 

His dark  eyes darted back to her, Rey smiling back sheepishly, “I think you should put a band-aid on that.” Opening the cabinet over the sink, she pluck a tannish band-aid and placed on the counter. “Sorry,” she muttered, biting her lips together.

 

Awkwardly, she shuffled by him her small rolled towel and hair spray clutched to her chest. Ben stood still until she completely left the room, releasing a sigh once the door was firmly shut.

 

* * *

 

 

**_Saturday, 3:40AM_ **

“That explains the weird placement of the band-aid,” Detective Andor commented, “I didn’t know if that was from now or a preexisting accident.”

 

“Preexisting accident,” Ben peeked at Rey curiously, “Why did you even go in there? I thought you already grabbed everything before—”

 

“I really needed the towel and hairspray,” Rey gritted, moving to stand back up. Dusting off her stained pants, she gripped the bars once more. “Its not that important anyways—we were running late because of an argument and Ben does not know how to shave—”

 

“ _You_ slammed the drawer. Why the need to slam, Rey?” Ben imposed, standing up as well. She was fidgety for most of the night—he knew _why_ now. But the fact still hurt she kept it from him; yes, it was juvenile to be taunting about it…yet the fear she was _never_ going to tell him took root in his chest.

 

“Oh fuck off, Ben,” she mumbled, kicking the toe of her heeled black boot against the floor.

 

He watched her for a second.

 

She looked pathetic.

 

He looked pathetic.

 

They both were on the verge of killing each other yet…

 

Ben felt the overwhelming urge to wrap her up in his arms and protect her forever. To get them out of here soon, and go home and _talk_. Have a real, honest to god, talk. About him and her, and their family and friends.

 

Figure out how they were going to do this.

 

“Anyways,” Ben breathed, “We left the apartment around eight—”

 

* * *

 

 

**_Friday, 8:16PM_ **

 

“…are you kidding me?”

 

Rey gapped at the sign on the window. Maz’s Pizza was their favorite go-to place while attending university. Her motto for Ben’s soul crushing graduate career was— **“** _I promise, pizza and beer will make everything better.”_ Many nights helping him proof read and being a sound board for all his thoughts were spent at the pizza parlor. She work at Maz’s every summer and spent countless days laughing and learning from the tiny woman.

 

And now it was shut down…indefinitely.

 

How did she not know this?

 

“Well… this is depressing,” Ben sighed, stuffing his hands into his coat pockets. His mouth formed a straight line, not entirely pleased with the situation. A twenty to thirty minute walk all for nothing.

 

“Yeah, no shit,” Rey grumbled, loosening the giant black scarf around her neck. While it had been winter, the weather did not reach freezing numbers, Endor relatively warm for most of the year. The coldest in ever reach was 38 degrees Fahrenheit. A sweater was fine for her, but Ben whipped out a scarf from the hall closet and wrapped it around her before a protest was uttered.

 

Stepping closer to the front door, she squinted reading the sign.

 

_Permanently Closed—Going on a Long Vacation_

Rey huffed, hopping off the little step.

“There goes our night,” she grumbled, walking back to Ben. Bright moonlight shined across his dark hair, causing Rey to stutter her movements to a stop. Licking her lips, she let her eyes drift across him while he remained lost in thought. His jaw worked as an idea played in his mind, he unaware of the minuscule expressions ghosting softly over his pale face.

 

He honestly was oblivious to what he did to her.

 

“Not completely, Cantina is just down the road,” Ben reminded her, “We might not be getting the best food ever, but mozzarella sticks and wings are a nice change of pace. And we can have a few drinks.” He shrugged, lighting up a bit at the prospect. A small smile quirked on his lips. “I think this time you might be able to drink you under the table—my tolerance has improved since the last time.”

 

Rey didn’t want to tell him the accuracy of his prediction.

 

Every rational side of her said ‘no’—to not go out to a bar. It will lead to suspicion and she did not need to make things more awkward than they were going to already be.

 

His boyish grin caused her gut to churn happily and her pulse to quicken.

 

“Okay!” She agreed, hoping her hesitancy wasn’t too obvious. “Cantina’s sounds great!”

 

* * *

 

**_Saturday, 3:50AM_ **

 

“Clearly it was _not_ great,” Ben deadpanned, stepping away from bars before rounding back two steps later. There wasn’t much to do in the small space of nearly solitary confinement. Raking a hand through his hair, Ben crossed his arms over his chest. “Why didn’t you just say, “Hey, Ben I don’t want to go to a bar because—” He shook his head, cutting himself off.

 

Detective Andor didn’t need to know everything.

 

By the bars, Rey pursed her lips, smiling  apologetically at Detective Andor.

 

She turned her head to the side, catching a glimpse of his scuffed shoes.

 

“Because you were _excited_ Ben,” she stated miserably. Inhaling deeply she continued, “—and you haven’t been excited about anything, truly _anything_ , for months.”

 

He scoffed, arms tightening around himself, “I get excited about things—”

 

“Frozen _does not count_!” Rey bellowed, whipping her head to him, eyes aglow. “And do you understand what its like to not see _you_ as yourself—to not see someone you care about be happy?”

 

“No one is ever _happy_ Rey, you know that,” Ben said quietly, raising an eyebrow at her.

 

Feeling called out, Rey sent him a stern look. He cast his eyes down, uncomfortable with her soul bearing eye contact. She knew him too well to let anything be spoken carelessly.

 

Chewing on the inside of her cheek, Rey decided to drop the subject. Ben wasn’t keen on discussing this in front of another party. She didn’t blame him; his father’s death hurt him more than he led on…and in light of recent news, his feelings on fatherhood reared its ugly head again.

 

She picked up the story once more, knowing Ben will butt in when he deemed fit. Or found her retelling inaccurate, “We went to Cantina—”

 

* * *

 

 

**_Friday, 8:30PM_ **

 

The pub was in full swing for the night, the dim warm light creating a comforting mood. Christmas lights twinkled over their heads, garland decked on the bar and walls. The decorations caused a smile to bloom on Rey’s face—she’d forgotten the Cantina got into the holiday spirit. With work and Ben finishing school, the two did not go out as much as before. Finn and Poe’s wedding was looming, the two also given some best man and best women duties along the way.

 

A night out was strange, but oddly delightful. They were young…they should be able to do this.

 

A couple of lingering university students crowed around the pool table and darts, giggling loudly whenever someone missed. In the lifted booths, couples and groups gathered together, chatting over the over played rock music streaming from the speakers. Two bartenders rushed around along with a few waitresses, the atmosphere busy for an incoming holiday week.

 

Placing a hand on the small of Rey’s back, Ben guided her through the humid room to an open table towards the outer corner. Shucking off the scarf and sweater, Rey hung them over the back of the chair while Ben took the seat opposite her.

Scooting closer to the table, Ben waved to the bar, the keep nodding and sending out a waitress.

 

“So…this is nice,” Ben commented, fiddling with the little promotional cards on the table. The little card fell  each time he set it up right. “I can’t remember the last time I was here.”

 

“Me neither,” Rey answered, her eyes roving the room.

 

She didn’t recognize anyone here, everyone she went to school with gone and moved on. Even Finn and Poe, not too far, but off on the other side of town. Very few stayed in the area once finishing their degrees, Ben and Rey apparently the exception.

 

She wasn’t too sure if she liked to be the exception on this particular matter.

 

A girl with blonde hair piled into two buns came to their table with a welcoming smile. “Hello, I’m Kay, what can I—Hey Professor Solo!”

 

Ben winced at the exclamation, his head inching lower to the table. The girl waited for Ben to greet her.

 

Noticing Ben clamming up, Rey swiftly kicked his ankle.

 

“Hello Kaydel,” he greeted, looking up to her with a friendly— _forced_ smile. Frowning a bit out of Kay’s view, Rey nudged him again. “I did not know you worked at Cantina.”

 

Small talk not his strong suit, the girl seemed to take what he offered in stride. “Yup, just started a couple of weeks ago; not a bad gig.” She shrugged, turning to Rey, “And you must be Mrs. Solo! Date night for you two?” She grinned pleasantly, clueless of her mistaken assumption.

 

“Uh, yeah,” Ben answered, cutting off Rey’s near correction. “Yes, we decided a night out was much needed after this long semester.” He chuckled, futile in hiding the panic in his tender brown eyes.

 

Kaydel nodded once, prepping her pad and pen, before sneaking a secret smile with Rey, “Just so you know, he talks about _all_ the time in class.”

 

While inwardly flustered by the comment, Rey smiled politely, “Well I would hope only good things.”

 

“Oh, of course,” the girl replied smartly, “So what can I get for you two?”

 

Ben plucked the menus up quickly, glancing through. They ordered the same food and drinks every time, “We’ll have a whiskey neat, a cranberry cocktail, and mozzarella —”

 

“Actually, can we get onion rings,” Rey interrupted, pursuing her own menu.

 

Ben blinked back at her dumbly, “You hate onions.”

 

“Well…” Rey stared back, dropping her menu down. “I am craving onion rings.” She shrugged a shoulder nonchalantly. Ordering onion rings was not that big of a deal. In other words, she did not understand why Ben needed to make it an issue. She could order whatever she wanted—Rey did not need to stick to routine. She could be spontaneous if she wanted to be, it was her life. No one elses….

 

His face pinched in confusion, “Are you _okay_?”

 

Rey blanched, her eyes flickering to Kaydel momentarily. The girl found the ceiling interesting, giving them some semblance of privacy in the crowed pub.

 

“Why—what makes you think I am _not_ okay?” Rey asked heatedly, planting her hands on the table.

 

“Because you _hate_ onions—and yet you want _onion rings_?” He squinted at her, Rey staring at him dead on, unamused by his topic of conversation.

 

If there was anything Rey found disgusting in food—which was close to nothing, the woman eating anything and everything—it was onions. She had switched food with him—in public places, in front of several people—if she found onions. Understandable if she had an allergy, but she didn’t. Rey simply found onions and the texture disgusting.

 

Which was why this entire situation felt odd—odder than odd.

 

“People change,” she declared, Ben seeing right through her flimsy fib.

 

“Sure,” he stated slowly, eyeing her carefully. Turing back to Kaydel, he smile tightly, “That should be it; a whiskey, cranberry cocktail, mozzarella sticks, and _onion rings_.” He uttered exceptionally slow, maintaining eye contact with Rey the entire time.

 

She shifted in her seat, raising an eyebrow at his dramatics. Solo men and their attitudes—she shook her head; she prayed for zero sons. Having another Solo man might be too much for the world.

 

“Okay! I’ll be back soon with your order,” the girl assured them with a wink.

 

Waiting until Kaydel was an earshot away, Rey nudged Ben hard with the toe of her boot. “What the hell is wrong with you?” She hissed, her lips quirking sourly.

 

“What the hell is wrong with _you_?” Ben shoot back. Rolling her eyes, Rey leaned back with her arms crossed. “Seriously, are you okay? Do you need to go the hospital?”

 

A grin of disbelief edged through her, “Ben, I’m _fine_.”

 

“Yeah, I don’t believe you,” he told her bluntly, leaning back in his seat as well. “What are you trying to hide?”

 

The two regarded each other in a battle of wills. Who'd crack first, who'd be willing to fold into the other's strong hold.

 

“Nothing,” Rey said, her chin held high. She glanced at the bar, watching as the bartender made a cranberry cocktail…one she unfortunately was not planning on drinking.

 

“Me neither.”

 

Her eyebrows pitched together at his words, “You’re hiding something?”

 

“No.” Ben practically exclaimed, biting hard on his tongue a second after. Leave it to him to be over excited on keeping things to himself.

 

“But you just said you weren’t hiding something, when I didn’t even think you were hiding something in the first place.” Rey said dropping her arms back on the table, “Ben, don’t lie to me.”

 

His jaw dropped, “You’re telling me not to lie to you, when I can tell as clear as day you are lying to me?” A chuckle left him, lips twisting together, “That’s bullshit, Rey.”

 

“You’re doing the same exact thing!” she pointed out, her British lit rising into a slight shrill. Catching herself, she cleared her throat. “You can’t call me a bullshitter, when you are doing the same fucking thing.”

 

“Maybe were both fucking bullshitting bullshitters then,” he declared loudly.

 

A couple at a table near by stared at them concernedly.

 

“It’s, it’s not as gross as it sounds,” Ben called out, the two turning back to their drinks.

 

* * *

 

 

**_Saturday, 4:02AM_ **

 

“Anyone else smell that?” Rey interrupted, her hand flying to her nose. Her eyes watered, face pinching awkwardly.

 

“Smell what?” Ben asked, both he and Detective Andor watching Rey quizzically. Neither smelled anything particularly horrid, but Rey’s face grew paler the longer she smelt this apparent odor.

 

“I think—” She didn’t finish her sentence, rushing to the toilet in the corner.

 

Panic hiking in his chest, Ben rushed over to Rey. He reached her in time to pull back her loose hair as she retched the entire contents of her stomach. Thankfully, the vomit made it into the toilet, Ben keeping Rey steady with an arm holding her up. He winced, feeling her body quake with dry heaves for a moment until they came to a hesitant stop.

 

Quietly, he gathered her into his arm, she not protesting against his solid form. In the comfort of his chest, Rey’s tight fist wiped stray, embarrassed tears frantically. He didn’t care if she made a mess of his shirt, or now smelled like onion rings, cranberry cocktail, and mud.

 

He just wanted to take her back home, tuck her into bed, and wake up with her still there in the morning.

 

“I can let her get cleaned up in a real restroom if you want,” Detective Andor offered, watching the two with sympathy.

 

“That would be great,” Ben murmured, grateful for the officers intervention.

 

Pressing a kiss to Rey’s forehead, he released her. Holding herself, Rey shuffled to where Detective Andor unlocked and opened the cell a crack to allow her out.

 

Quietly he led her to the hall where the bathrooms were located by the holding cells, close enough for the detective to keep an eye on Ben while he waited for Rey. She smiled in thanks, before entering the bathroom, shutting the door soundly behind her.

 

Andor turned straight back to Ben with a interested air to him, “I thought you two weren’t together…”

 

“So, funny story…Technically, we’re not,” Ben answered, leaning impatiently against the cell bars.

“‘Technically’?” Andor reiterated, not liking where the story was going.

 

* * *

 

 

**_Three Months Earlier_ **

“Ben…” Rey knocked on the door again; she needed to get in and hopefully get some rest before the funeral the next day. She’d been camping on the couch the last three nights since he received the news.

 

A surprise heart attack. No one expected it…and he was gone in a matter of hours. By the time Ben was reached, his father had suffered and died in a matter of moments. A drive or visit, speaking last words, futile when he lived three hours away.

 

The great Han Solo smitten by a heart complication no one caught.

 

Ben was…. _catatonic_.  

 

They’d been out buying groceries, a new endeavor with the unofficial chefs of the apartment gone. She remembered him hanging up the phone with little expression. A strange reaction from Ben, an overly emotional man with exceeding amounts of passion no one seemed to know what to do with. It wasn’t until he turned to her did his face completely crumple like a tissue. Easily and with little friction.

 

They left immediately, Rey driving them back home as Ben continued to cry silent tears, not once speaking. She’d been able to hear the conversation—she didn’t need him to utter what had happened. She knew; her heart broke for the loss of a father figure…but her soul fractured into pieces as she witnessed Ben distraught.

 

Once back to the apartment, he locked himself up in the room, leaving Rey to wait until he fell asleep to sneak into the room for her belongings.

 

She huffed; once again, he did not answer.

 

Done with pleasantries, Rey twisted the doorknob, finding the room unlocked. Nudging the door open, Rey found the room dim, the only source of light coming from her bedside lamp.

 

On his side, Ben laid on his bed, his back turned to her. He must have not moved the entire day, she finding him in the same position early that morning.

 

Swallowing tightly, Rey walked over to him. Her weight down on the edge of the bed stirred him; Ben hadn’t been sleeping, but he’d been awfully close.

 

“Hey,” she hushed, resting a hand on his shoulder. Gently she brushed his hair away from his face, silently counting the constellation of moles. “I’m just checking in to see if you’re packed for tomorrow. I already called your mother to let her know we’d be there around seven.”

 

He nodded into his pillow, adjusting to accommodate for her presence. He scooted over to the other side of the bed, allowing her to lay beside him. Taking the silent offer, she curled on her side, their noses almost touching.

 

“I’m tired…” He muttered.

 

“That’s your grief talking,” she assured him, running her hand up and down his arm soothingly.

 

“Grief is tiring,” he corrected with a half-hearted eyeroll. “I feel like…I want to go home. But not my home, like with my mom or uncle…but home,” he said slowly, grumbling in frustration towards the end. “I want to go home, but not a home-home—I sound fucking stupid—”

 

“No,” Rey said firmly, “you don’t sound stupid. I know what you mean. You want to go somewhere that feels like home, somewhere comforting and belonging…” she trailed off, lifting her gaze from his eyes to his lips. She blinked away, focusing on a loose thread on his t-shirt to keep her thoughts at bay.

 

“Yeah…” he breathed, watching her carefully, intaking her every move. “Sometimes…” he spoke in hushed tones, “I feel like that only with…” He stopped talking, his eyes flickering back to Rey’s.

 

“I know.” She said, feeling the air in the room still.

 

Silently the two stared at each other, their breathing rising and falling in sync. Leaning closer together, Rey gently pressed a feather kiss to his lips. Neither moved for a moment, her pulse ringing in her ears. Thinking she may have made the situation awkward or caused Ben to feel uncomfortable, Rey began to inch away—

 

When Ben surged forward and recaptured her lips with his.

 

Soft touches and tender kisses were nonexistent as their mouths moved against one another greedily. Under him, Rey lost sense of the world as Ben continued to pepper sloppy kisses down her neck, she mewling under his ministrations. At some point in her haste to feel skin on skin, she shoved his shirt over his head and lost hers along the way. More clothing followed the pattern until they were able to caress unreservedly. A battle of intense dominance transformed into a somber dance of solace the deeper immersed into each other’s embrace…

 

* * *

 

 

**_Saturday, 4:20AM_ **

 

“…it’s actually not all that funny of a story to be honest,” Ben admitted, resting his forehead against the cool metal if the bars.

 

Patiently, Ben waited…to hopefully understand what this meant for him and his best friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...I think Rey's secret was hinted quite a bit in this chapter.
> 
> And yeah, they had emotional-sad sex. We'll get more about what happened that night they slept together in the next two chapters. There was a reason it cut off there. BTW, that was my first time writing a somewhat sex scene SO PLEASE BE KIND *goes and hides*
> 
> List of Prompts Used in this Chapter:  
> “It’s me or the cat, you decide.”  
> “What are you trying to hide?”  
> Anyone else smell that?”  
> “So, funny story…”  
> “I think you should put a band-aid on that.”  
> “I promise, pizza and beer will make everything better.”  
> “Why are you so hairy?”
> 
> Let me know what you think! Were you shocked? Surprised, thought Ben and Rey bicker like an old married couple?  
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated! I enjoy discussing the fic with my readers!


	3. because i never even told you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The friends learn each others secrets. Chaos ensues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Typos will be fixed throughout the week!
> 
> Enjoy!

**_Saturday, 4:33AM_ **

“Here’s some water,” Cassian handed Rey the bottle through the bars, the young woman sitting on the cot. She took it with a small smile.

 

From beside her, Ben rubbed soothing circles into her shoulder, not knowing what else he could do. He didn’t expect Rey to actually vomit while they were confined—the reality of her news seemed to finally hit him with full force.

 

Rey was pregnant…with _his_ baby. Part of him wondered if the entire night three months ago was a vague dream his lust and desires conjured up to fill the gaping hole in his chest from his longing. Yet he found out rather unpleasantly he was a father…with roughly five more months to adjust to the idea.

 

And he did not have the fucking guts to tell Rey he loved her without making a complete and utter wreck of the situation?

 

Dear god, someone send help. They _needed_ it.

 

Detective Andor cleared his throat, “Now that you are a little more hydrated…do you think you two can pick up where you left off?”

 

“Why…why do you even care?” Ben asked, eyeing the man apprehensively. “We already gave out statements to the officer—”

 

“And let me guess, your answers were very straightforward and clean cut?” Andor rose an eyebrow, Ben slouching further into Rey.

 

Maybe the detective had completely called out his and Rey’s poor statements. Flimsy and vague, the bored expressions of the officers told both they did not care for their botched words and wanted to wait for the possible charges to be processed.

 

Sitting back down in his chair, Detective Andor kicked up his feet on the bars, “The more you tell me, I might be able to understand what happened…and maybe the charges could be dropped.”

 

“You’re not a lawyer, _Detective_ ,” Rey snipped, her voice raspy from her previous retching. “I highly doubt you want to _fight_ our cause.”

 

“Honestly,” he shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest. “I think you two have more going on than you realize and a nice note from an upstanding officer might prevent any permeant criminal records for both of you.”

 

Sharing a look with Ben, Rey huffed. Gradually, with a little wince, she scooted further back on the cot to rest against the wall. Ben remained at the edge of the thin mattress. While a petty side of her wanted to shove him off the cot again, Rey allowed him some rest. From her vantage point, her gaze naturally landed on Ben’s back, where his shoulder muscles bunched together.

 

His anxiety must have been through the roof. Resisting the urge to wrap her arms around him, Rey pulled her legs closer to her chest.

 

Briefly coughing, Rey resumed her account of the evening, “Well…we were waiting for our drinks…”

 

* * *

**_Friday, 8:47PM_ **

 

“ _On the count of three_ ,” the young man stated dramatically, as though a broadcaster on sports news, “ _CHUG!”_

 

The group of college boys and girls went at it, downing a pitcher of beer each, their peers counting them down.

 

Rey gagged, turning back around to face Ben. Sitting across from her, he had a similar aghast expression, subconsciously rubbing his throat—he remembered the burn of chugging. His one chugging challenge haunted him, not wanting to touch beer for a few months. Unfortunately, he drank himself sick and mildly incoherent, Rey almost dragging him to urgent care after the incident.

 

“Please tell me we never looked like that,” she jutted her thumb slightly behind her.

 

“I never looked like that—I cannot say the same for you,” he smirked, remembering Rey challenging whoever had a pulse in an attempt to drink her under the table. She, of course, won every single time. The woman could hold her liquor and knew how to pace herself…and paid for the hangover later. She owed him several ‘thank you’s for the amount of Aleve and McDonalds he bought her over the years.

 

“Well, don’t worry,” She wiped the condensation off her glass of water with her thumb. “I have zero intention of getting shit-faced,” Rey reassured him proudly.

 

“Oh really? I must be in an alternate universe,” Ben quipped dryly.

 

“It’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about—”

 

“And here are your onion rings and mozzarella sticks,” Kaydel called out as she placed the food on the table, “Your drinks should be coming soon—we got a new guy at the bar and he’s still learning all the drinks.”

 

Ben nodded, going for a mozzarella stick, “Thank you.”

 

Kaydel departed with a smile and rushed along with her co-workers. The pub was partially full, small groups and pairings leaving and coming in flows. Watching Rey carefully, Ben’s eyes followed her hand as she reached for an onion ring.

 

Sensing his burning gaze, he no doubt hoping she’d crack under the pressure, Rey shoved the entire crispy, golden onion ring in her mouth. Chomping on the fried food, she moaned loudly, rolling her eyes with mocking delight.

 

A weird strangle escaped Ben, him looking away as she swallowed her food.

 

“See,” she waved her arms out, awaiting his onslaught of out cries or declarations of falsehood, “delicious! I think I will have another one.”

 

“Please don’t,” Ben muttered with an edge of misery.

 

Tapping her finger on her chin, she thoughtfully examined the other onion rings in the basket. Plucking another one from deep in the pile, she once again shoved the entire ring in her mouth, maintaining eye contact with Ben.

 

He coughed into his hand, slouching a bit.

 

“I…” she spoke as she chewed, knowing how it grated on Ben’s nerves, “ _love_ onions. I just never knew it.”

 

Brushing off her fingers, she picked up her glass of water for a drink.

 

Eyebrows creasing together, Ben sagged with his exhale, before standing up. “I’ll be back, I’m going to change the song.”

 

Shuffling and elbowing past a few half intoxicated students, Ben hoping to forget he ever saw the ones from his classes, he made his way to the jukebox. Journey hummed in the background, and while Ben enjoyed a little ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ on a good day, he needed to hear something a little less…loud. And hopefully a tune to shut down the hyperactive college kids on the other side of the pub.

 

Skipping through oldies and classics, his eyes landed on a familiar album.

 

Immediately a grin pressed through his brooding, Ben clicking the song knowing the croon and leer of Morrisey’s voice would lure Rey out of her off mood.

 

The haunted tone of The Smith’s _Back to the Old House_ broke through the pub. Some of the previous ruckus and laughter hampered down, a strain to listen to the strum of the guitar and echo of the vocals.

 

Ben strolled back to Rey, hands shoved into his jacket pockets, “Ah, see, now this is _real_ music,” he hummed along lightly. From the moment he heard the beginning cords of _There is a Light That Never Goes Out_ , Ben sold his soul to The Smiths. Every album and remastered editions were in his possession and at one point he nearly tattooed a lyric on his bicep. Thankfully, Rey stopped him, knowing he’d regret the decision the next day. The band became better when Ben found out Rey loved them just as much as him, the two able to play the music in the apartment with ease. Or shuffle the songs on long drives and simultaneously sing off key to Morrisey’s melancholy drone.

 

Peering up at him, Rey chuckled, “You sound just like your dad.”

 

His bright eyes dimmed a bit at the mention of Han, but retuned back in full force. “Come on,” he held his hand out to her, “let’s dance.”

 

Baffled, Rey gapped at him, “You—Benjamin Solo—want to _dance_?” Her eyes narrowed at his offered hand, “What the fuck do you want from me?”

 

His arm dropped back to his side, “What makes you think I want something? I thought we were friends!” The song continued to play thrummingly in the background, “Come on, friends can dance with each other.”

Lips quirking, Rey studied him intently, “Yes, normal friends—not us. I’ve asked you numerous times—”

 

“And I’ve been a dick all those times,” he amended quickly, his dark brown eyes earnest. “I’m trying not to be a dick.”

 

Her eyebrows flew high, her lips pressed firmly together. “I…whatever it is you want—apparently you want it _bad_ ,” Rey remarked, the forced jest in her voice not quiet meeting her eyes.

 

Rarely did Ben indulge her, especially when it came to silly theatrics such as dancing or singing in public. Sure, they could be fools all they wanted together and in private, but the moment the world knew Ben Solo genuinely had a heart, well his image was tarnished.

 

Rey found these thoughts stupid. Ben needed to embrace his dorkiness more; it was one of his attractive qualities.

 

“How about I dance for you?” He blurted out, less than a minute left in the song. He slowly swayed in his spot, lifting his hand in offering one last time. His hope diminished by the seconds the longer she watched him, her eyebrows pinched together pensively.

 

Ignoring him, Rey turned back to her onion rings…suddenly remembering how much she truly despised the food, the after taste lingering in her mouth.

 

The last note of the song rang through to pub, Ben stilling as he realized Rey was not going to cave. Her polar opposite attitude bothered him more than he anticipated, trying not to let his disappointment over her lack of response eat away at him.

 

Huffing dejectedly, Ben sat back down in his seat, his mozzarella sticks already growing cold.

 

“What’s going on with you?” Ben asked, deciding it best to not beat around the bush and address the situation straight on.

 

Sipping her water, Rey’s face hardened, “Why does there need to be something going on with me?”

 

“Because…you ordered onion rings,” he said lamely. Rey rolled her eyes at the mention of the food, which fueled his frustration. “And you didn’t sing a butchered impression of Morrisey, or dance—which I know you like to do both for _Back to the Old House_ —and—and,” his eyes landed on the water in her hand, “and you’re drinking _water_!”

 

“What the fuck is _wrong_ with water—its eighty-percent of our bodies!” Rey defended heatedly, slamming the glass on to the table.

 

Ben released an empty laugh, his head leaning back to full in take her being. She held herself closed off, her clothes covering nearly every inch of her body. Arms crossed over her chest and her head held low—this was not Rey. The woman in front of him tried her very best to act normal…when there was something off about her. There had been something off about her for days, possibly weeks.

 

“No—don’t try that logical bullshit on me. The _Rey_ I know would have stolen someone else’s drink by now—she wouldn’t have cared to wait for her own,” Ben declared, Rey fuming before him. Her nostrils flared, and teeth gritted—Ben hastely reminded himself it’d be wrong to find exceedingly attractive at the moment, hoping his body would not react in public.

 

She sat up straighter, pushing the onion rings and mozzarella sticks aside, “Well maybe the _Rey_ you know has matured and does not feel the need to drink her problems away—”

 

“So you admit you were drinking your problems away?” Ben deftly latched on to her slip; it was no secret Rey had her own plethora of complications in life. Abandonment, trust issues, anxiety…while other people experience episodes or vented to therapists, she’d let loose every other weekend and blubbered a bit to him on their walks back home. He’d listen with a ready ear and be her crutch for as long as she needed.

 

“ _Excuse_ _me_?” She unintentionally bellowed, catching the attention of everyone within a five foot radius. “When did this become the third degree—I thought we were having _fun_ _night_ out as you like to put it,” Rey growled, unamused by Ben’s rambling and detections.

 

If he’d goddamn let her talk in her own time—

 

A glass of a half drunk beer from the tap was placed in her field of vision.

 

He seriously stole a glass from the other, recently deserted table? The gall…

 

“If there really is nothing wrong, or going on, then why don’t you drink this.” Ben point down to the used glass sitting in the middle of the table.

 

My god—and she cared for this _fool_?

 

“You don’t know where that’s been!” She shoved the glass away. His hand flew out, stopping an impending crash of spilled beer and glass. “Why are you being like this? I get that you can be a jumbled ball of nerves—but this is a new level of paranoia even for you, Ben”

 

“I—I just need to know _why_ ,” Ben stressed, running his hands through his hair. His eyes fell from her, “Just… I need to know if anything is going on—”

 

“But why? If anything was going on, I’d tell you in due time,” she reminded him firmly. Their friendship was built on mutual trust, never did Ben question her so sharply and needlessly—yes, they teased and bickered, but never to this scathing degree.

 

Ben dropped his arms on the table, knocking over an onion ring or two from its basket on to the floor, “I don’t have ‘due time’. I anything is going on, I _need_ to know now.” His fist were clenched, fingers working to release only to tighten into large fists with little effort.

 

Rey was growing fed up with the roundabout conversation, “What’s so important about _now_?”

 

“ _Because I’m leaving_!”

 

In a perfect world, Rey would have congratulated him—or slowly ease into the conversation and ask of this sudden change. She wouldn’t be feeling her world turn upside to the sound of Queen’s _Another One Bites the Dust_ blaring from the speakers and frat wannabes cheering like seals. She would be thinking carefully about the words she’d say next because they were life changing, for both of them…

 

Yet it was not a perfect world, and Rey was not a perfect person and all she could feel playing on loop and crawling through her skin was—

 

“I’m pregnant.”

 

Neither moved nor spoke, the rest of the world fading for a moment, only seeing each other.

 

 

Until their senses kicked back in.

 

“ _What_?” Ben breathed, his brain speeding to connect the dots—to figure out who the hell slept with Rey.

 

“I’m pregnant,” she gulped for air, struggling to find the right words. “ _I don’t love you_ …” She shut her eyes tightly, before opening them wide, raw panic shining back. “I _can’t_ love you and I’m pregnant.” She blubbered out, blinking frantically as her words of denial filled the air.

 

Unable to help himself, because he’d be dying to say it all evening, even with her prickly attitude, “I love you.”

 

“ _What_?” She shrilled; neither noticed they were drawing an audience.

“I love you,” he repeated, feeling dread pool deeper in his gut at the complete and utter distraught expression. She did not feel the same way—she said as much in her barely coherent mutterings. “But, goddamn it, do I sometimes _really_ hate you.”

 

Her face twisted painfully, her jaw clenching, “‘I hate you, but I love you’. How am I supposed to know what to do with that information?”

“You just told me, you’re pregnant—what am I supposed to do with that information, huh?” Ben spoke frantically, not entirely pleased with how quickly their conversation was teetering to spiral out of control. “Does the father know?”

 

“My goodness, are you that fucking dense?” Rey asked, stunned by his genuine question. “I haven’t slept with anyone, but you since—” She swallowed her next words, feeling herself overcome with emotion, pools of tears building rapidly behind her eyes.

 

“ _Oh_ ,” he stated dumbly, feeling the remaining air in his chest leave him.

 

He…he should have known. She’d hadn’t gone out in forever, spending most of her nights in the apartment. Thinking about it, both spent most of their nights with each other, either bingeing a show or reading, or simply in each other’s presence. He couldn’t remember the last time he had a date, let alone _Rey_.

 

When they had sex…neither really thought about protection or precautions. Both too eager to be with each other in such an intimate way and moving through the haze of loss… and they continued on without discretion.

 

“And you’re leaving,” she croaked, the unspoken word of ‘ _me’_ not lost in the phrase. “Where the hell are you even _going_?”

 

“Luke offered me a job, at his academy,” Ben answered, though his mind was still reeling from Rey’s news. “And I took it—because I can’t work as Snoke’s assistant anymore. Its draining and exhausting, and I feel like I’m never going to accomplish anything—”

 

“You were what? Going to just pack up and _leave_?” Rey interrupted him, trying her best to not become hysterical, but found it difficult the longer they spoke on the issue. “We have the apartment, our lives are here— _not_ —not some town seven hours away!”

 

“Excuse me miss, but is everything alright?” A young man came to their table, watching the two with concern. Similar to how most of the guests within their vicinity eyes them. They were inevitably making a scene, no matter how painstakingly Ben and Rey tried to keep the conversation civil; their tempers and fears knew how to get the best of them.

 

Rey turned to the man with a strained smile. “Yes, everything is fine.”

 

Her stern eyes and set jaw sacred the poor man away with a parting hesitant, scared shitless, smile. While appearing harmless in the distance, the moment someone interacted with Rey, they were intimidated by her up close rough edges and sharp hazel eyes. Most thought he’d be the one to break their bones if offended, his looming frame and built supporting such thoughts. Instead it was the lithe woman constantly beside him who’d harm anyone who so much made a false move towards anyone in her circle.

 

Her gaze fell back on him, her lips pressed together fiercely, her eyes reddening. “Were you even going to tell me or just disappear?”

 

“No! God, no,” he muttered, lowering his voice. Intrusive eyes flickered to them every few seconds, though the noise in the pub grew a bit louder, drowning out their little blip. “No, that—that’s _why_ I wanted to go out. I thought food could soften the blow,” he admitted shyly, Rey’s love for food well known. “But, no I wasn’t going to just up and leave you—”

 

“But you already accepted the offer!” Rey shot back, “Without even discussing it together—”

 

“Rey, its not like were are in a relationship! We aren’t dating, we aren’t a _couple_!” He thundered, face burning red from vexation. He could not help but be frustrated with how she was addressing the situation. “We _aren’t_ a couple—you made that loud and clear months ago.”

 

Her face crumpled as she gulped for ragged breaths, “I know…I _know_.” Pinching her face, Rey rubbed her face furiously for any stray, hot tears. “But, we do _everything_ together. It’s always been us two, together, side by side.” She hiccupped. “Ben, I can’t remember life without you in it.”

 

“And I’m not saying I’m leaving _you_ —”

 

“You don’t have to, I can already feel it—I—I can’t hear you say it,” she gripped, pushing herself off her seat. Hastily, she grabbed her coat, throwing the item over her arm. “I need to get out of here, go home or something.”

 

Ben stood up right after her, catching her free arm.

 

“Rey, _please_ ,” he asked softly, hoping she’d hear him out. Hoping she’d let him finally speak for once and not blubber like a idiot and randomly blurt he loved her. Actually tell her his plans.

 

Soundlessly, she shook her head.

 

Turing on her heel, she began to march out the door—only to be forced into an unexpected halt when she instantly crashed with Kaydel, who rounded the corner with their drinks. The two women collided, the cool liquid of both the whiskey and cranberry cocktail spilling over Rey’s top, effective drenching her in sticky, fragrant alcohol.

 

Her mouth formed a hard line as Kaydel apologized profusely, Rey waving her off.

 

“I was a waitress once, I have spilled my fair share of beer on customers by accident—” Rey reassured her, looking for napkins to dab her stained white blouse. Frowning at the collision, Ben stood to follow after Rey.

 

What neither women realized was their little bump cause a chain reaction. The spilled drinks caused another pub goer to slip, the young man catching himself on the surface of the bar, but knocking over a bar stool. Which then crashed into one of the chugging women, her entire pitcher dropping out of her hand and pouring its contents all over the sticky floor. The very same patch of floor Ben attempted to shuffle around to get to Rey. A sharp elbow rammed into Ben’s gut, the group of college students experiencing a delayed reaction to the wet and sloppy mess. Unintentionally stepping back, Ben felt his shoe lose grip on the floor, falling back to catch himself on the edge of the bar. His hand instinctively flailing back knocked into the concerned guy from earlier, Ben effectively punching the poor man’s nose.

 

Then all shit broke loose.

 

The guy swung at Ben, he dodging the ill practiced movement with ease. Though this caused Ben to bump back to back with Rey, who was still understandably upset. Kaydel had rushed off to find cleaning supplies while the guy in front of Ben continued grumbled and growled, and group of college girls began to shove each other back and forth due to some beer spilling on shoes. In the hot and crowded pub, the tension of irritability increased, shouts and arguing increasing to a loud crescendo—Rey and Ben caught in the center of it all.

 

Pawing at Rey’s arm, Ben attempted to pull her along, out of the pushing and shoving. Thankful she did not fight him, interlocking her hand with his.

 

Of course, he once again was carelessly elbowed in the gut.

 

Ben groaned loudly, knocking into other guests with more force than necessary. Accidently stepping on a few toes along the way, the two were almost out the door, not bothering to pay with the insanity brewing in the room. A random drunk succumbed to the heat in the room and came ambling up to Ben.

 

“You made the girl cry,” he slurred a bit, Ben recognizing him as one of the guys performing poorly at darts in the corner of the pub.

 

“No—it was a misunderstanding,” Ben explained plainly, shouldering along.

 

The young guy turned to Rey, dropping a hand on her shoulder, “You seriously want to go home with this guy, _sweetie_? He’s seems like a dick, yelling at you like that.”

 

Her hand in Ben’s palm tightened at the leer. Rey’s eyes darkened, shaking off the guy’s hand, “Nobody get to call him a dick, but me.”

 

“Only an asshole would yell at—”

 

“Well he’s _my_ fucking arsehole, and I don’t need a half drunk boy defending my honor,” Rey said fiercely, stepping up intimidatingly to him. She made unwavering eye contact with the guy, “I _dare_ you to say something about him again—”

 

“ _Rey_ …” Ben hissed warningly, panic shooting through his veins when she unceremoniously dropped his hand.

 

Ben felt his stomach drop as the man slowly began to state, “He’s an ass—”

 

Rey growled, her fist flying into the air, “I’m going to cut a bitch, and that bitch is—”

 

* * *

 

 

**_Saturday, 4:48 AM_ **

“ _You_ started the fight?”

 

Detective Andor stared dumbly, mouth a gap at Rey.

 

“Why not?” she grumbled, “Just because I have bun in the oven doesn’t mean I don’t know how to kick someone’s arse.”

 

The older man’s eyebrows rose, not sure what to make of that information. Rey was scrappy, that much was sure. Surprisingly, she did not have a criminal record. Only a few runway instances were marked, though all occurring during her childhood and teen years. Otherwise she was an upstanding citizen, filed her taxes on time and was not late on payments. Even donating when possible.  

 

“She never got a real swing in,” Ben interjected, “I pulled her away before any real damage could be done.”

 

“But,” Detective Andor considered the two for a moment, trying to place together all the pieces from the scene, “Why is there a hole in the wall?”

 

Ben sat up at the mention of the incident, unsure of how to explain the property damage, “Uh…”

 

* * *

 

**_Friday, 9:26PM_ **

Clutching his shoulders, Rey winced from the jostling. She gave up on fighting out of Ben’s grasp once they were an adequate distance away from the idiot man. Her roommate scooped her up, and carried her away like a child. She’d been flustered and annoyed by his interception.

 

They were now heading to the emergency exit, where it’d be easier to sneak out rather than fight through to the entrance.

 

“I’m fine now,” she grumbled, patting Ben’s shoulder. “Let me down.”

 

“Nope, not until we are safely outside,” he told her with little room for argument.

 

“Please, you going to knock—”

 

He stumbled a bit over a chair leg, hip checking one of the table against the wall. The edge of the table rammed against the thin plywood, creating a gapping hole at waist level.

 

“Shit.” Ben’s head dropped, a low rumble vibrating in his chest. This night could not get any fucking worse.

 

“What did I tell you!” Rey groaned, before slapping his arm quickly, “Hurry up, let’s go before anyone notices!”

 

Listening to her, he briskly exited the back door, the alarm blaring loudly the moment the door was chucked open. Wincing at the piercing noise, Ben eased Rey down, she all but jumping from his arms unsteadily.

 

“My god, this is a shitshow,” she exhaled, the crisp air filling her lungs. Raking her hands through her hair, Rey’s nose twitched at the first drizzle of forthcoming rain. She wiped a hand down her face, smearing her lipstick and eyeshadow. Her sweater and scarf got lost in the commotion inside, she dropping her belongings once fist were thrown and beers were dropped. Luckily, her phone and wallet were stuffed awkwardly in her narrow front pockets.

 

“Rey, you can’t fucking throw yourself in fights,” Ben scolded as he shrugged off his coat. With out a second thought, he draped the heavy garment over her shoulders.

 

She huffed, her hair falling out in pieces from its bun, “Yes, I can! Especially when some is talking shit about you!”

 

“Yeah, some fucker we don’t know!” Ben reminded her harshly, the veins on his neck protruding. “Not everything needs to be life or death, Rey. And bar fights are huge ‘ _no_ ’ when you are pregnant!”

 

“Oh, we’re going to talk about this _now_?” She grinned mockingly, crossing her arms defensively over her chest. “Not when the buddle is already here—great to know.”

 

“Stop being all sage and sarcastic about it! I _do_ care! I’m not some deadbeat whose going to leave you because you are pregnant—I’m your fucking _best_ _friend_. I’d drop everything to help you, even if the kid wasn’t mine!” He roared, eyes shining bright with unshed tears and his voice cracking with pain. Did she honestly think so little of him to believe he wouldn’t be there…that he’d leave he completely? She didn’t even dare listen to what he was going to do with Skywalker’s offer because the mere mention of him possibly leaving caused the ferocity of her fear to barge in full force.

 

Loud thunder clapped over their heads, the drizzle forming into large pellets of rain. The sound of the alarm continued to drone behind them, mixing together with the shatter beating of the water against cement.

 

“Ben…” She whispered, not trusting her voice or her spiral of thoughts.

 

“I’m not your parents Rey—when are you going to get that through your head?” He breathed, feeling his clothing stick to his body from the rain. “You’re nothing—” he swallowed tightly, blinking through the pouring rain. “You were absolutely nothing to them—but, but not to me.”

 

Sirens echoed off the street, Ben and Rey’s heads whipping to the sound. Three police cars pulled up, the flickering of red and blue lights dancing back and forth on the sides of nearby buildings.

 

A woman with bright blue eyes popped out of the first car, “Hands up!”

 

“Well, shit,” Ben murmured, police officers rushing up to the building past him and Rey.

 

The night did indeed get fucking worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...that got emotional fast!
> 
> Let me know what you think! Comments and kudos are always appreciated! I enjoy discussing the fic with my readers.
> 
> Prompts used in this chapter:  
> “I hate you, but I love you. How am I supposed to know what to do with that information?”  
> “I don’t love you.”  
> “I thought we were friends!”  
> “Why is there a hole in the wall?”  
> “You don’t know where that’s been!”  
> “On the count of three.”  
> “How about I dance for you?”


	4. are you still there?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Typos will be fixed later.
> 
> Also there will be another chapter after this one :)
> 
> Enjoy!

“How long did you know?” Ben asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence that fell between the three once he and Rey finished their account of the events.

 

Her eyes flickered to him, she pressing her lips together. Blinking away threatening tears, she exhaled through her nose. “Only a week. I didn’t even realized I missed my period, I thought it was because of stress or my hormones going wonky again,” she answered quietly, hands gripping the cell bars with white knuckles. She lifted her gaze up to him, “Ben…I was going to tell you…but I never found the right moment.”

 

“We were with each other all week, I don’t understand,” Ben uttered, closing his eyes shut. Bracing his head on the bars, he peaked an eye back at her. “Why didn’t you just say anything?”

 

“And say what Ben? ‘Hey mate, remember how we had sad sex, yeah well now we have a sad baby to prove it.”

 

Ben flinched at her sharp tone

 

“Don’t—don’t say that the baby would be sad,” he intoned, his pinched face smoothing. “Our baby is going to be…so much more than _sad_.” Standing up straight, he turned to face her fully. “Any child of yours is going to be phenomenal, and happy, and lovely in every way—”

 

“Stop,” she muttered miserably, slumping further away. “Just stop—I don’t want to talk about this right now.”

 

Frowning, Ben glanced at Detective Andor; the man tried his best to look invisible during their conversation. His arms were crossed over his chest, gaze wandering to the ceiling, counting the specs on the panels. He too, felt awkward intruding on the private conversation. However, everyone in the room knew he could not leave so called potential felons unattended. 

 

The detective sensing eyes on him turned back to find Ben staring.

 

Detective Andor cleared his throat, “I…I am married,” he stated plainly.

 

Rey and Ben’s heads whipped to him, with matching confusion. While it wasn’t far fetch to believe him to be married, neither thought of Detective Andor being a fully dimensional person with a life outside of the four walls. After all, he was there to supervise them, not become some strange form of mediator.

 

“I beg your pardon?” Rey squinted at him, “what does that have to do with anything?”

 

“My wife is actually the officer who arrested you,” Detective Andor continued, ignoring Rey’s question. “We are both on the force, have been for a few years” he explained hastily, trying to find a way to bring his story to fruition, “I consider her to be my best friend.”

 

“That’s…sweet, I guess,” Rey muttered, while Ben waited stoically for the detective to make his point.

 

“She and I also had an untimely pregnancy,” he stated, uncrossing his arms. “Neither one of us were planning on kids, because well neither one of us wanted kids. We’re both every dedicated to our work and we weren’t together long before we decided to marry,” he chuckled lightly, a fond smile forming on his lips, “We jokingly called it a marriage of convenience.”

 

“So you didn’t love each other?” Rey mumbled, intrigued as to where Detective Andor was going with his story.

 

“No we did, we _do_ ,” he corrected lightly, a smile tugging on his lips. At the mention of his wife, Detective Andor seemed light up a bit more; become more relaxed at the thought of her. Ben understood that feeling well. “But I don’t think we really learned to appreciate each other until later—our relationship was easy because we’d been friends for a long time and then we had similar schedules so it made sense to date each other because it would be nearly impossible to find someone with similar hours or who’d understand the demands of our jobs.”

 

“Your point?” Ben finally spoke up, his face exposing all the hope and inner turmoil twisting inside him.

 

“It is easier to do it all—life, love, _parenting_ , when you have your best friend,” Detective Andor stated clearly, dark eyes darting between the two. “Now from what you’ve told me, you two have been through it _all_. Finishing school, friends moving and growing at a different pace, losing a parent,” Ben felt Rey’s comforting eyes on him, though he did not dare look her way. He’d break under her gaze; he was tired, we wanted to go home. Go home and listen to music until he fell asleep, try and forget the mishaps of the night. “You don’t see many people care about each other the way you two do,” The detective stuffed his hands into his jacket pocket, shrugging a bit in the movement. “Even when you looked like you wanted to absolutely kill the other, you still cared. That’s love, trying to figure it all out—together.”

 

* * *

 

_Three Months Earlier_

 

Her hand was tightly wound around his through out the proceedings. Squeezing, her thumb giving comforting rubs on the back of his hand.

 

They woke wrapped in each other’s arms that morning, neither truly speaking on what transpired the previous night. Simply laid together until they needed to get up for their three hour drive. Getting dressed and finishing packing, the two drove in moderate silence, Rey at the wheel. Ben was in charge of the radio, though he seemed to refuse to play music for the first hour. With light coaxing he played The Smiths, the band not necessarily helping with the melancholy mood but rather solemnly acknowledging its presence.

 

When they arrived at his mother’s house, Leia wrapped him in a crushing hug followed by pulling Rey into the fold a moment later. She ushered them into the house, allowing them to get settled. An unspoken decision was made between the two, Rey and Ben sharing the same room even when they had the option to not. She was afraid to leave him alone for too long, and he was afraid she’d get up, leave, and not come back.

 

Throughout the day they remained a unit. While they listened to Leia talk diplomatically with family and friends, while Ben was forced to smile and shake hands with people he was sure his father hated or found annoying, while Rey was repeatedly mistaken for something more than a friend—they stood side by side, hand in hand.

 

It was much easier to do this with his best friend, Ben unable to imagine the day without Rey.

 

“You’re doing much better than average,” Leia commented the moment she and her son were alone. Most of the guests congregated in the living room area for the wake, she and Ben escaping into the kitchen to disengage. To think and mourn properly…and to maybe eat the extra set of lemon bars Maz brought. The baked good had been Han’s favorite, it felt _right_ to eat the treats by the mouth full after his funeral.

 

“Thanks,” he breathed, not quiet catching the implication of her words until a beat later. Mildly offended, he squinted back at her, “Wait, what’s _average_?”

 

“Despondent,” she answered, “You can be despondent in crisis Ben. Its nice to know you are present, both body and mind, for your father’s funeral.”

 

While he was unable to make it home when he initially received the news, he and his mother kept in contact over the phone. Calls were easier to manage than having to face one another—Ben was sure he would be more of a hindrance than help if came home immediately. Brilliant leader and delegator, Leia needed to be of clear mind while planning her husband’s funeral proceedings, having Ben in the mix would only cause more tears she would not have been prepared to shed nor control.

 

“How’s Rey taking it?” Leia asked, standing up to pour more coffee into her mug. She turned to her son, raising an eyebrow.

 

“Taking what? Han’s _death_?” Ben stated heatedly, not knowing where to begin on the matter. Regrettably, he did not know how his best friend felt other than pervious night. Out of self-preservation, Ben cooped himself up in their room. “Well her father figure did die…so I suppose she is distraught like an normal human being.”

 

“Well she seems different…and not in a grieving sort of way. Just _different_ , I can’t put my finger on it.”  Lifting her mug, she sipped thoughtfully. A small, tired smile formed on her lips. “You know, your always father hoped one day you two would get together. He _loved_ Rey…and not just as a person or someone to bring into our fold, be he loved Rey for _you_.” Ben tried not to think how easy his mother was able to talk about Han in the past tense in only a matter of days. She’d been the stronger one of his parents, that much could without saying. His father joked he’d like to be the first one to kick the bucket, but Ben knew it was because Han would not know how to live without Leia in his life. “Son, don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re a lot more likeable when she’s around,” Leia admitted, picking up another lemon bar to munch on.

 

“No…I know,” Ben nodded, twisting the napkin into a thready shreds in his hands. “Honestly don’t deserve her in my life.”

 

Leia didn’t comment further. Ben was pleased by this decision; he wasn’t too sure how much longer his mother could go on the subject of him and Rey as something more, when they in fact did something _more_ the previous night.

 

Silence befell the mother and son. Soft music and spurts of hefty laughter came from the living room, a sign that at least Chewie wasn’t completely lost without his partner in crime.

 

Ben sipped his coffee, lost in his own thoughts.

 

“You slept with her didn’t you?”

 

He coughed, eyes bulging wide. “ _Mother_!”

 

“See, I knew something was different! What the fuck is wrong with you Ben?” Leia shook her head, holding her hand up to stop his response. “No, don’t answer that—I know _exactly_ what is wrong with you.”

 

Ben began to panic—he didn’t know what was going on with Rey. They slept with each other but didn’t actually talk about it the next morning, nor on the car drive. Then there was never an opportunity to talk since there was always _someone_ —anyone throwing in their condolences to the two. How would they explain themselves? “It…we were both upset, and sad, and we were talking then one thing led to another—”

 

“I don’t want to know!” Leia fisted her hand in the air, Ben knowing he needed to keep his mouth shut. “I do not need to know about your sex life, son,” she said sternly, adjusting her glasses higher on her nose. “I simply needed to know you did not screw up enough for that girl to walk out of our lives.”

 

“I promise,” Ben spoke genuinely, “I won’t do anything to screw up my relationship with her. She’s too important.”

 

His mother sat back down in her chair, “Now shut up, I can’t talk to you until I’ve had some coffee.”

 

It wasn’t until they were cleaning up the living room after the wake and their guests were gone, did Rey and Ben finally have a moment alone together.

 

 

Picking up some forgotten plates, Ben slowly made his way over to Rey. “Um, hey.”

 

Looking up at him, she nodded, “Hey,” before ducking her head back down, focusing on rearranging the pillows on the sofa again.

 

Clearing his throat, Ben leaned in closer, “I—I was wondering if we could talk about last night.”

 

“What is there to talk about?” Rey asked nonchalantly, averting her eyes away from him. Tucking her hair behind her ears, she glanced up at him hesitantly. Her jaw locked as her hazel eyes connected with his dark gaze. “There is _nothing_ to talk about.”

 

His eyebrows pinched together, Ben feeling himself take an involuntary step back from her. “But—”

 

“Both of us were clearly not in the right mindset; we were both upset and grieving—this…this does not have to be a thing,” she fluffed the pillow in her arms harshly, “Don’t make this into a thing. Can we just say it happened, and continue on as normal?” Rey asked, her tone on the edge of pleading.

 

“I—” Ben did not know what to say when he felt the nervous, ebbing energy between them festering. On one hand he wanted to address what happened, possibly make something of it…however, her sudden guarded nature troubled him. For as long as Ben knew her, Rey had been honest and open to him. They told each other everything, speaking of their deepest fears and their inner most desires…rarely did they hide themselves from one another.

 

He didn’t like this development.

 

Swallowing his pride and flourishing thoughts of _more_ , Ben promised to follow her wishes.

 

“Sure—nothing happened,” he shrugged, hoping his disappointment wasn’t too obvious from the crack in his voice.

 

“Thank you,” she muttered, her eyes glistening.

 

Clutching the pillow closer to her chest, she squeezed it once.

 

Gently, she released the pillow from her grasp, it landing with a muted thud on the sofa cushion.

 

They did not speak on the matter again.

 

* * *

 

_Saturday, 5:05AM_

 

“If…if you wanted things to be different, why didn’t you say anything?” Ben asked, leaning forward with his hands braced on the cell bars.

 

“Because…because I—” Rey glanced awkwardly at Detective Andor standing on the other side, watching the two intently, “I’d rather not talk about this with _him_ here.”

 

Detective Andor shrugged, unaffected by her cold tone, “I can’t leave you two unsupervised.”

 

Grumbling, Rey sat back down on the cot, hugging herself loosely. Inhaling deeply, she focused on Ben’s back—easier to talk to him when his puppy dog eyes weren’t boring into her. “Ben…I can’t— _couldn’t_ lose you,” she said quietly, sounding small in the echoey confines of the room. Shutting her eyes, Rey continued to speak, the panic in her throat easing away the longer she voiced her coveted thoughts. “You are the one constant in my life, and we—us trying to be something more with the risk—I can’t _take_ a risk with you because you are too important to take a gamble on.”

 

A pending response uncoiled within him, Ben unable to find the proper words to convey how he felt.

 

She wanted more, despite declaring the night as nothing. He had wanted their relationship to be more the moment she entered his life, unable to help but fall deeper into the comfort of her presence.

 

“You won’t,” Ben stated simply, turning around to face her, “You _won’t_ lose me. You can yell and scream, hell, you can slash me across the face and I’d still love you.”

 

“But you’re leaving—”she began, a ragged breath escaping her.

 

“And if you let me finish talking, then you’d know I was going to ask you to come with me,” he interrupted, the tenderness in his eyes starkly contrasting his blatant statement.

 

“What?” Rey mumbled, her forehead wrinkling in confusion.

 

Walking over to the cot, Ben crouched down in front of her. Gently, he brought her hands into his. “Rey, I didn’t decided to take this job offer on a whim.” His thumb rubbed soothing circles into her palm. His gaze remained on their joint hands, “I thought about it for a long time. Even before my dad…” he blinked away pooling tears, his grip on her tightening. Her stronghold remained steady, not faltering in his wave of emotion. “We _aren’t_ happy here, Rey. I can’t remember the last time we actually enjoyed living in this godforsaken town—”

 

“Ben,” she hushed, freeing a hand from his hold. Softly, she swiped away loose locks of hair from his face. A tired smile formed on her lips, “I know we aren’t happy here, I just never thought that if you did decide to leave you’d want me with you.”

 

“I always want you with me, by my side,” he admitted, unable to tear his gaze away from her. “I don’t care where we go, I just want us— _all_ of us to be together.”

 

Confidently, Rey grasped his hand and held his open palm to her abdomen, “You won’t be able to feel anything for another couple of months but—”

 

Surging forward, Ben wrapped Rey in his arms. Instinctively, she melted into his embrace, burring her tear stained face into his shoulder. Silently, they held each other, their anger and pain from the night seeping away in their warmth. Pressing into her neck, Ben pressed a feather light kiss on her exposed skin, willing himself to not shed more unnecessary tears.

 

“That’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever witnessed.”

 

The young pair whipped their heads at the sniffled voiced. From the other side of the bars, Detective Andor stood with glossy eyes, arms crossed over his chest imposingly.

 

Coughing, the detective nodded to the two, “Well, now since that is sorted out…I guess, I can release you two.”

 

Roughly, Rey shoved Ben off of her. Awkwardly, he fell back, landing more so on his back than his bottom. Marching to the cell bars, she gripped the metal with white knuckles, a new found fury burning in her eyes.

 

“ _I beg your pardon_?” she gritted, head pressed into the opening in the bars. From behind her, Ben scrambled to follow after her. He fell in line beside her, a similar befuddled expression morphing on his features.

 

Detective Andor stuck a hand in his pocket, pulling out a ring of keys. Sifting through the color coded mess, he addressed the two with ease, “Charges were dropped; turns out there was a long running illegal gambling occurring in the back room of the pub. Your little bar fight revealed the group we’ve been after the last few months. I was sent to let you out and thank you.”

 

Rey gapped at the man. Her senses kicking in, she savagely attempted to grip at Andor. Luckily, the detective was another good two feet away from her grasp.

 

“You mean we could have been _out_ of here?” she exclaimed, her exhaustion noticeable in her furious state.

 

The older man nodded once, plucking a blue key from the ring. “Yes, however, my wife mentioned your little spats while in custody and thought it best if I gave you an ear to listen.”

 

“You can get fired from your job for this,” Ben said, resting a comforting hand on Rey’s shoulder. She relaxed under his touch, though her grip of the bars did not relent.

 

“I know,” Detective Andor said plainly, unbothered by the fact. “Yet saving a friendship and subsequent relationship is a better pay off than letting you go, and never knowing if you two would talk it out.”

 

“What is this ‘Prison Couple’s Therapy’?” Ben asked, watching as Detective Andor swiftly unlock the cell.

 

Pushing the cell bars aside, the detective held the cell open for them with a small grin.

 

“Something like that,” he commented lightly as Rey and Ben exited the cell. “Go ahead and pick up your belongings at the front desk. You should be able to call someone to pick you up from there,” he assured the two, Rey stopping by the bathroom in her hasty exit.

 

Stepping completely out of the cell, Ben faced Detective Andor.

 

Biting his lips together, Ben stuck his hand out for a shake, “While rather unorthodox, _thank_ _you_.”

 

Detective Andor firmly took Ben’s hand and shook once before releasing. “You’re welcome.”

 

Squinting at him, Ben considered the man before him, “I’m sorry—I can’t remember if you told us your first name?”

 

“Cassian Andor, or Cass for short,” he answered breezily, leading him out of the room. At that moment, the bathroom door swung back open, Rey stepping out, appearing less queasy than she’d been earlier.

 

“‘Cass’ is a nice name,” Rey remarked as Ben opened the door for her. “Nice and simple.”

 

“Something nice and simple seems to be a good change,” Ben agreed, shooting the detective a grateful nod over Rey’s head. Cautiously, Ben reached for Rey’s hand, the young woman easily intertwining their fingers together.

 

Watching the pair walk beside each other towards the front desk a few feet away, Cassian shook his head fondly.

 

There was something oddly endearing about the two, even with their grumbles and ridiculousness. They made each other happy, understood each other on another level; Cassian could not help but feel a swell of pride at their little progress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompts Used in this Chapter:
> 
> “Wait, what’s average?”  
> “I can’t talk to you until I’ve had some coffee.”
> 
> Let me know what you think! Comments and kudos are always appreciated; I love discussing the fic with my readers! :D


	5. here began all my dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh, hey everyone!
> 
> It's been awhile since I updated this fic, and I decided it was time to tie up all the little lose ends with an epilogue type chapter! :D Some more quiet realizations, a little bit of domestic fluff, and we get to meet a new character ;)
> 
> Typos will be fixed later.
> 
> Please enjoy!

_Saturday 5:45AM_

 

“Finn, we can see you, you know?” Rey called out from the waiting area, earning a few side glares from tried officers and pedestrians.

 

After receiving their belongings and signing off on some paperwork, she and Ben camped out on the stiff chairs, awaiting their friends’ arrival to take them back home. Which turned out to be a little longer, as Ben needed to call Poe again since Finn apparently _did not_ receive their first message.

 

Honestly it wasn’t that surprising.

 

From behind the stations glass doors, Finn attempted to make himself appear scarce. Which proved to be futile as Poe nudged past him, and swung open the door. Concerned, he followed his fiancé into the building.

 

“I didn’t know it was you!” Finn explained hastily once he spotted them, trying to beat Poe to their friends. “You both look… _gross_.”

 

Rey and Ben glanced at each other, neither with enough energy to fight to astute observation. They had been sitting in dried drinks and a dingy cell for the majority of the night. Not to mention Rey still reeked a bit of vomited onion rings.

 

“What the hell happened you two?” Poe chided, staring down at Rey and Ben, hands planted firmly on his hips. “A bar fight?” His eyes jumped to Rey, “Who did you pissed you off?”

 

Her jaw dropped, her brows scrunching, “Why do you assume it was me? It could have very well been Ben.”

 

Three pairs of eyes stared at her, unamused at the hollow claim.

 

“Fine, it was technically me,” she mumbled, lulling her head on to Ben’s shoulder. “But I am exhausted and hungry, and can we stop at that donut shop that sells the cronuts,” she sat back up straight once she felt Ben begin to stand up. Tiredly, she held her hands out from him. Gently he eased her back up, “Because I have been thinking about cronuts for the last half hour since that one cop passed by with one.”

 

“We’ll get you a cronut, Peanut,” Finn assured her, patting her shoulder. He cringed, lifting his hand back up with a subtle sniff. “What is on you?”

 

“Cranberry cocktail,” Ben answered as the four began to leave the building.

 

Poe rose an eyebrow, becoming more confused by the second.

 

Rey winced at the cool air hitting her, not bothering to put on her soiled sweater. Without a second thought, Ben wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to his side.

 

“It’s a long story, we’d rather not get into now,” she warned mid-yawn.

 

Reaching the car, she opened the backseat door, sliding in. She began to tune out the chatter between the men, and Finn’s occasional concerned gaze.

 

She needed a nap…or at least eight hours of sleep.

 

* * *

 

_Saturday 6:15 AM_

 “Come on,” Ben nudged her along the hall, his arms guarding her from a fall, “Only a couple of more steps…”

 

Finn and Poe had been kind enough to stop for cronuts on the way to Ben and Rey’s apartment. For the majority of the ride Rey dozed between slumber and awareness, cuddling into Ben’s shoulder despite the two still reeking of alcohol and the police station. With some coaxing, he’d been able to wake her up enough to help her back to their apartment.

 

Gently, he leaned her against the wall, scrambling for his keys. He found them in his pocket and swiftly unlocked the door. Taking her arm, Ben led her in, the two dragging their feet with halfhearted determination. He refrained from turning on the lights, the morning sun cascading wandering beams into their windows.

 

As Ben closed the door behind them, Rey began tugging off her shirt.

 

“Whoa, what are you doing?” Ben cried out, shutting his eyes. Panicking he slapped his right hand over his eyes.

 

A snort left Rey.

 

“Seriously? You’ve seen it all—you freaking _impregnated_ me. No need to get shy,” Rey grumbled, struggling with the top buttons. “I just feel gross and need to get this shirt off me before I vomit again—” A aggravated huff escaped her, throwing her arms down to her sides. “I can’t get these buttons—can you help me?”

 

Dropping his hand away, Ben nodded solemnly. With steady hands, he unbutton the last few offenders.

 

A sigh of relief escaped Rey. She shrugged the shirt off, standing only in her bra and jeans.

 

That’s when Ben noticed it. A small, barely there bump, but clear as day in the subtle light. Warmth gravitated to his chest, the evidence becoming realer with every passing second.

 

Ben and Rey smile softly at one another, a comfortableness and vulnerability wrapping them together like an old sweater.

 

Sensing his open gaze, Rey shifted from foot to foot. “As much as I love you gawking at me like that,” an intense flush danced around her cheekbones, Ben assuming his own face matched, “I…I’m going to go take a shower,” she turned on her heel, before turning back around a moment later. “You—you can join me if you want?”

 

It sounded more like a question to herself rather than a general question to him.

 

Ben blinked, “Uh-okay—”

 

“ _Bugger_ ,” Rey rubbed her forehead, “I-I don’t—I’m tired and we had all those _feelings_ in there. Not that I didn’t like the feelings because I _like_ the feelings,” she stressed, eyes wide, “And you’re my best friend, but also _so much_ more than that. No one talks about the transition—how do we even trans—”

 

Reaching forward, Ben pulled her into his embrace, their lips latching together in almost instinct. Molding together in lost familiarity, the unnecessary worries attempting to erode Rey’s bliss vanished at his touch.

 

Breaking away, she rested her head against his chest, her arms around him in a loose hold.

 

His ghost light hands brushed along her bare back before encircling her, “We will figure it out along the way, sweetheart,” Ben assured her, pressing a firm kiss on her temple. “And maybe it is starting with a shower,” he shrugged, a bubble of laughter vibrating through his chest, “Though I recommend an _actual_ shower—”

 

“I _was_ suggesting actual shower, I wasn’t planning on sex right now,” Rey grumbled into his shirt, “I just…I just want to be close to you. Not do anything or think of anything because that’s what it has felt like the last few days, and then times that by ten considering last night.”

 

Ben glanced down at Rey, tucking her hair behind her ear, “Then let’s do just that.”

 

* * *

 

_Saturday 2:15 PM_

 

Turning on his side, Ben opened his eyes to a face full of chestnut hair.

 

A fisted hand shoved his shoulder, Rey curling into his side. She was dressed in his worn college sweater and her sweatpants, looking far smaller in the oversized clothes. Her face was peaceful, the pensive lines and scrunched eyebrows she’d been donning the last few weeks remaining in her comfortable slumber.

 

Blinking, the events of the last twenty-four hours came to the forefront of his mind.

 

Grinning lightly to himself, he wrapped an arm around her, falling back to sleep in the security of her warmth.

 

* * *

 

_Saturday 6:15 PM_

 

“Hey,” Rey mumbled, turning her head to look at him, “I’m sorry I didn’t dance with you.”

 

The two had remained laying in bed for the majority of the afternoon, waking up a little after four. Staying wrapped in each other’s embrace after a long night seemed better than going out into the real world where they’d have to make appointments, plan a move, make announcements…something about being with each other made time standstill.

 

Ben squinted at her, his bedhead falling lazily over half his face. Gently, she brushed away the dark stands. Briefly she wonder—more so hoped—if the baby has his unruly hair rather than her simple locks.

 

“I mean it, I’m sorry,” She dropped her hand down between, tucked to her chest, “I would have loved to dance with you…especially to Back to the Old House. I love that song,” she grinned tiredly at him, her eyes aglow.

 

“Then why don’t we dance to it right now?” he murmured into his pillow, peeking an eye at her.

 

“Right no—OW!” A high yelp escaped her, Ben pulling her up.

 

Stumbling off the bed in a tangle of uncoordinated limbs, the two stood in the middle of the room. Garbles of giggles coursed through her, Rey unable to help but stare unabashedly up at him. Grabbing his cell phone from his nightstand, Ben tapped away on his screen, the mentioned song’s nostalgic yet haunting opening cords filling the room.

 

Humming, he tossed the phone back on to the bed before facing her once more.

 

“Come on,” he held his hand out to her, “lets dance.”

 

Her hand firmly grasped his, dwarfed yet held with conviction.

 

Slowly, he lifted their joined hands and spun her. Mirroring breathless grins graced their lips, for once unafraid to openly express their affections. Coming back around, she grasped his other hand, placing it on her waist. The two shuffled an off beat sway, converging closer and closer together until Rey was able to rest her chin on his chest.

 

Blinking up at Ben, Rey decided to ask the question buzzing in the back of her mind since the police station. “How long have you… _ya know_ ,” she shrugged, “had more than friends feelings for me?”

 

“I…” he sighed, wrapping an arm around her back, “I…don’t know.”

 

She leaned back, befuddled, “What do you mean _you don’t know_?”

 

Ben swallowed, feeling her sharp eyes analyzing his every move, “I—I don’t know because one moment I was fine, then the next I realized I couldn’t picture life without you.”

 

“Oh,” she uttered, lips pursing, “Well, I know when it happened for me.”

 

“Really now?”

 

“Yes,” she nodded once, “I came home after classes, you were reading that giant book— _War & Peace_— in the living room and you shouted you had coffee brewing and wanted to know when we should order take out,” she stopped swaying, stilled by the memory, “Then you started asking about my day and I knew I could spend every day like that…to you being home, being my home.”

Her voice became gravely quiet. Pitter pats of the afternoon rain outside drifted in lazy echoes off the bedroom window. The song began from the top, the track on loop. She sunk further into his embrace.

 

There was nothing romantic about the moment, Ben wasn’t even too sure what day she was talking about because it could have been _any_ given day in their entire time living together.

 

He liked the idea of being her home, and her being his. They were going to be a home—together.

 

Rocking side to side, Ben brought them back to a sway, this time on the beat.

 

Silently he listened to the words of the song, feeling a sudden sense of emptiness as the last trill of somber came to an end. For so long the dragging longing and regret of the song filled and harmonized with Ben’s view on his relationship with Rey. He thought it’d been one sided, he’d never have a chance with her. His remorse became a shield of comfort, his musical tastes effortlessly reflecting such a mood.

 

Breaking away from Rey, Ben tapped the loop icon, the next song on the album queued. The faster tune of _Hand on Glove_ played from his phone.

 

He returned to Rey with a grin, she already breaking out into bad shuffling and shimmying, arms flailing. Snatching his free hand, she roped him into her little made up dance, Ben happily obliging for his best friend.

 

* * *

 

_Seven Months Later_

_10:15AM_

 

“Detective Andor,” one of the office aids called out from outside the hall, “A couple here is claiming to have made a meeting with you.”

 

Cassian frowned, glancing up from his paperwork. Rarely did anyone come inquiring after him, let along coming in for a meeting. Curious, he stood up and made his way to the waiting area.

 

Entering the main area, Cassian stopped at the sight of two vaguely familiar individuals, and one fresh face.

 

“Oh babe, look there he is!” The woman—Rey—called out to her companion. No longer worn or haggard from the eventful night all those months ago, the young woman beamed brightly to him. She huffed, turning to her occupied partner, “Ben, she is fine sleeping in the carrier,” she scolded lightly.

 

“It’s just like her to fall asleep the one instance we want her to be awake—” The man’s grumbles halted when a high pitched gurgle sounded from the carrier in his right hand. The couple shared a look of silent wills before Ben huffed and went to remove the baby from the carrier.

 

Rey turned back to Cassian, “Hi—um you might not remember us—”

 

“The couple who wasn’t a couple expecting a baby who accidently uncovered a illegal gambling ring at a bar fight?”

 

“Or he could _exactly_ remember us,” Ben commented, raising an eyebrow at Rey. The new father’s held the baby close to his chest, a light bouncing in his stance.

 

“You two are difficult to forget,” Cassian remarked, crossing his arms over his chest. “What can I help you with?”

 

“We didn’t come here for help,” Rey hastily clarified, “we are here to share good news.”

 

Ben edged forward, Rey coming closer to lift the little two month old’s hat off. A wild burst of dark curls adorned her head, bright hazel eyes blearily blinking up at the detective.

 

“We’d like you to meet Cassian Hannah Solo,” Ben announced to the baby’s namesake.

 

“Or Cassie for short,” Rey continued with a light shrug, her tender gaze set on the infant.

 

Stunned, Detective Andor’s eyes darted between the new parents.

 

“You—you named her after me? You two don’t even know me—”

 

“But if it wasn’t for you, Cassie wouldn’t have parents who were together,” Ben defended.

 

“Ben and I would have been fumbling idiots with our emotions until we wilted and keeled over,” Rey grimly declared, her partner rolling his eyes at her morbid imagery. However, his lips tugged betrayingly at her dark quips.

 

Cassian marked it as a sign of true love.

 

“She is beautiful,” the detective complimented, “And I am honored to share a name with her.” He smirked back to the two, “Just don’t let her become a troublemaker or trouble magnet.”

 

Ben chuckled, “Oh, it’s _our_ kid,” he nodded towards Rey, who shrunk sheepishly under Detective Andor’s gaze, “we can’t make those type of promises.”

 

With a shake of his head, Cassian knew the child would be loved and cherished, but not with a few mishaps along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND IT IS DONE! 
> 
> Rey and Ben finally got their dance, Ben realized maybe he grew up a little bit when it comes to one of his favorite songs, and we met Baby Cassian!!!!
> 
> Thank you for all going on this crazy night jail journey :D
> 
> Let me know what you think! Comments and kudos are always appreciated; I loved discussing the fic with my readers! :D
> 
>  
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr @intp-slytherin97

**Author's Note:**

> List of Dialogue Prompts Used for this chapter:  
> “That’s fine, I am more than happy to explain why Frozen is my favorite film,” said Ben.  
> “Do you have any idea what I want to do to you right now?”  
> “You are Ben Solo? No way. I refuse.”  
> “Wait, where did your pants go?”  
> “I’ve only got twenty bucks.”  
> “Don’t.”  
> “How can you watch that garbage?”  
> “You’re a liar.”  
> “I’m sorry, Professor. I’d hate to be punished for my mistake.”  
> “Are you kidding me? It’s three in the morning.”
> 
> Alright! Let me know what you think; any theories as to what news Rey and Ben would like the break to each other?  
> Kudos and comment are always appreciated! I love discussing the fic with my readers :)
> 
> Follow me on tumblr @intp-slytherin97


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